The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-08-26
TALMAGF'S SERMON.
Bigotry and he Evils Of Sectarian-
ism Discussed.

Bigoty and he Evils Of Sectarian-
ism Discussed.
Frsfersnces for Particular Religious Re-
hefs and Ferns OF Worship Lawful
an Proper. But United Chris
tian Labor Bsdly Needed.
In bis fifth sermon as 'sThe Hamptons"
Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage dealt with
"Bigots," taking for his text:
Then said they unto him. "Say now Shibbo-
eth" and he said Sibboleth, for he could not
frame TO pronounce 1t right Then they took
Judges, XII, g.
Do you notice tho difference Of pronun.
ciation between shibboleth and sibboleth!
a very small and unimportant difference,
YOU say. And yet that difference was the
di1ere nee between life and death for Q
g1sat many people. The Lords people,
Giiead and Ephraim, got into great fight,
and Ephraim was worsted, and on the re-
treat came to the river Jordan to cross.
Order was given that all Ephraimites COM
ing there be slain. But how could il be
found out who were Ephraimites! They
were decided by their pronunciation.
Shibbo2eth was . word that stood for
river. The Ephraimites had q brogue of
their own, and when they tried to say
shibboleth always left out the sound of the
~" When it was ASKED that they say
shibboleth thsy said sibboleth, and were
slain.
Then said they unto him, ''Say now Shib-
boleth;" and he said Sibboleth, for he could
not frame to pronounce 1t right. Thcn they
took him, and slew him ct tho passage Of Jor-
dan.
A very small difference, you say, be.
tween Gilead and Ephraim, and yet how
much intolerance about that small diff.
ference. The Lords tribes in our time
by which mean the different denomina-
lions Of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. magnify
Q very small difference, and the only diff.
ference between scores Of denominations
to-day is the difference between shibboleth
aud s;bboleth.
Tho Church Of God is divided into Q
great number of denominations. limo
would fall me to tell Of the Calvinists, and
the Arminians, and the Sabbatarians, and
the Baxterians, and the Dunkers, and the
Shakers, and the DUAL ers, and the Method
lists, and the Baptists, and tho Ep isco.
palians, and the Lutherans, and tho Con-
gregationalfsts, and the Presbyterians,
and the Spiritralists, and score of other
denominations Of religionists, some Of them
founded by very good mon, some of them
founded by very egotistic men, and
pine Of them founded by very bad men.
But a. I demand for myself liberty of con.
science, I must give that same liberty 10
every other man, remembering that he no
more differs from me than differ from
him. advocate the largest liberty In all
religious belief and form Of worship. In
art, in politics, in morals and in religion
let there be no gag law, no moving Of the
previous question, NO persecution, no in
tolerance.
You know that the air and the water
keep pure by constant circulation, aud I
think there is tendency in religious dis.
cussiOn to publication and moral health.
Between the fourth and sixteenth cent
uries the church proposed to make people
think Alright by prohibiting discussion and
by strong cenf orship Of the press, and by
rack, and gibtet, and hot lead down the
throat, tried to make people orthodox;
but It was discovered that you can not
change q mans belief by twisting of his
head, and that you can not make man
see things differently by putting an awl
through his eyes. There is something in Q
mans conscience which will hurl of the
mountain which you throw upon It, and,
unsinged Of the fire, out of the flame will
mako red wings on which the martyr will
mount to glory.
In that time of which speak, between
the fourth and sixteenth centuries, people |
went from the house of God into the most |
appalling iniquity, and right along by con- |
secrated affairs there were tides Of drunk |
enness and licentiousness such as the world |
never heard of, and the very sewers of |
perdition broke loose and flooded the |
church. After awhile the printing press |
was freed, and it broke the shackles of the |
human mind. Then there came a large |
number of bad books, but where there was /
one man hostile to the Christian religion |
there were twenty men ready to advocate
It; SO have not any nervousness in re.
gard to this battle going on between truth
and error.
The truth will conquer just as certainly
IS that God is stronger than the devil. |
Lot Error run if you only lot Truth run
along with it. Urged on by skeptic's
shout and Observation-Disclosures spur, let it |
run. Gods angels of wrath are in hot pur.
suit, and quicker than an eagles beak
out a hawks heart, Gods ven.
geance will tear Il to pieces.
propose this morning to speak to You
Of sectarianism-its origin, it's evils and |
It's cures. There are those who would |
make US think that this monster, with
horns and hoofs, IL religion. shall chase
Il to its hiding place and drag it out Of the
caverns of darkness, and rip of its hide. |
But 1 want to make q distinction between
bigotry and the lawful fondness for pecul.
Jar religious beliefs and forms of worship. |
have no admiration for . Nottingham.
In Q world of such tremendous vicissi.
tudes and temptation, and with q soul
hat must after awhile stand before q
throne of insufferable brightness, in day
when the rocking Of the mountains and
he flaming of the heavens, and the up
leaval of the sea shall be among the
east Of the excitements, to give account
'or every thought, word, action, prefer
,nce and dislike-that man is mad who
las no religious preference. But our ear
y education, our physical temperament,
,ur mental constitution, will very much
decide our form of worship.
A style Of psalmody that may please me
nay displease you. Some would like to
lave q minister in gown, and bands, and
urplice, and others prefer to have a min
ster in plain citizens apparel. Some are
most impressed when little child is pre-
ented at the altar and sprinkled of the
waters of a holy benediction ''in the name
# the Father, and of the Son, and Of the
Holy Ghost; and others are more i'm
,ressed when the penitent comes up out Of
he river, his garments dripping with the
waters Of q baptism which signifies the
Washing away of sin. Let either have his
Wy. One man likes no noise in prayer
lot q word, not a whisper. Another man,
ust as good, prefers, by gesticulation and
to express his devotional